Baby Frogs Dying

[Gill Catton]

I think there is a risk with surfaces they can get stuck to like paving slabs or concrete but if they can get out they will.

[ymm]

Thanks so much all of you for your advice.

I'm pleased to say we haven't found any more dead frogs and most of them seemed to have left the pond now, just spot the odd one or two now & again.

We inherited our pond when we moved here and the water level always goes down to about 2-3 inches below ground level, (think we have a leak in the liner), but we've made it as frog friendly as possible, by building 'bridges' from rocks and wood and keeping the pond well stocked with plants for them to shelter in. We've also made a 'frog house' out of old clay pots in the shady plants around the edge, so hopefully they'll enjoy their habitat.

Like you said, I think I just have to accept it's predators and that's nature of course. I'm just glad, from what you've all said, that it wasn't any nasty disease or anything.

Once again, many thanks.
Yvonne

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by ymm

Thanks so much all of you for your advice.

I'm pleased to say we haven't found any more dead frogs and most of them seemed to have left the pond now, just spot the odd one or two now & again.

We inherited our pond when we moved here and the water level always goes down to about 2-3 inches below ground level, (think we have a leak in the liner), but we've made it as frog friendly as possible, by building 'bridges' from rocks and wood and keeping the pond well stocked with plants for them to shelter in. We've also made a 'frog house' out of old clay pots in the shady plants around the edge, so hopefully they'll enjoy their habitat.

Like you said, I think I just have to accept it's predators and that's nature of course. I'm just glad, from what you've all said, that it wasn't any nasty disease or anything.

Once again, many thanks.
Yvonne

Predators as beautiful as dragonflies are well worth a few tadpoles/ baby frogs in my book

[Kayleigh]

We had a problem one year with waterboatmen killing tiny toads..They would wait for the toads to run the gauntlet from a water lily to the bank then attack and kill the toads but not eat them..
So we removed the waterboatmen and the rest of the toads survived..
I would not normally intervene if they were being killed for food but they were not..

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

We had a problem one year with waterboatmen killing tiny toads..They would wait for the toads to run the gauntlet from a water lily to the bank then attack and kill the toads but not eat them..
So we removed the waterboatmen and the rest of the toads survived..
I would not normally intervene if they were being killed for food but they were not..

They were being killed for food though... Why else would the water boatmen do this? They don't consume the outside of a prey item them suck the juices from inside with a piercing mouthpart which is not obvious to our eyes. Leaving a shell that would look like a normal body to our eyes.

Its a semi-natural ecosystem an sould be encouraged in all of its forms surely.

[southlonder]

Originally Posted by Bullseye

Could be Dragonfly nymphs,they suck the juice out of them.

Do they? I thought they ate solid food

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by Gill Catton

They were being killed for food though... Why else would the water boatmen do this? They don't consume the outside of a prey item them suck the juices from inside with a piercing mouthpart which is not obvious to our eyes. Leaving a shell that would look like a normal body to our eyes.

Its a semi-natural ecosystem an sould be encouraged in all of its forms surely.

No Gill, I watched a waterboatman sense the ripple on the water and target the tiny toads as they were leaving the pond maybe the taste of the toads put them off eating them but left one dead and went straight to its next victim and so on killing a considerable number when they were leaving the pond..
This year there is too much weed and less open water so the toads will be safe as they leave the pond..

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

No Gill, I watched a waterboatman sense the ripple on the water and target the tiny toads as they were leaving the pond maybe the taste of the toads put them off eating them but left one dead and went straight to its next victim and so on killing a considerable number when they were leaving the pond..
This year there is too much weed and less open water so the toads will be safe as they leave the pond..

but surely it was the insertion of the needle-like mouth parts that killed the toads its their only 'weapon'?

I mean its fine obviously its your pond and its up to you how you manage it of course it is, I just think they probably were eating the toads - just maybe a little bit of each - there's probably not a great deal of juicy stuff inside a tiny toad.

[acherontia]

Going back to the original post it sounds like a lot is being done for the frogs which is commendable.
There'll always be plenty of non survivers which is why the frogs produce so much spawn.

We had probably 2000+ tadpoles - some are still in the 'tadder' stage and 100s of 'froglets' are now knocking about all over the garden. The blackbirds love a bit of tasty tadpole and frog but our favourite frog feaster at the moment is a young hedgehog who will probably survive because of the extra food that's there.

Then - if I mow the lawn I have to shut off about how many will be cut down before their prime - although (soft s.d me) I have been setting the blade a bit higher

I'm sure all will be well if you've read up on how to make a pond wildlife friendly and followed some of the advice here.

Acherontia

[ymm]

Hi all,
Thers's so much good information here, I've learnt loads, so thanks for all that.
The one thing that really surprised me was that Waterboatmen are such a threat. We've got literally hundreds in our pond, (or maybe Backswimmers, I can't really tell the difference). My dilemma now is, do I leave nature to sort itself out or do I remove some of them from the pond to give the tadpoles and frogs a fighting chance? What do you all think?
Thanks, Yvonne